Chapter 4 is a clear change in perspective from “the things which are” to “the things which will take place after this” (Revelation 1:19 NKJV). John was not the first to see this vision of the throne and the angelic beings. The prophets Isaiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel also saw the same setting and in each case the purpose of the vision was a revelation of God’s sure judgment on the wicked and the lifting up of the saints when He re-establishes His kingdom on earth. It is the vision of the throne that connects Revelation to these Old Testament prophets and connects “the things which will take place after this” to the same time, the later days. It is the harmonization of these books that influences the understanding of the Revelation.
The earliest description comes from Isaiah.
1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple.
2 Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew.
3 And one cried to another and said:
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;
The whole earth is full of His glory!”
5 So I said:
“Woe is me, for I am undone!
Because I am a man of unclean lips,
And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips;
For my eyes have seen the King,
The Lord of hosts.”
(Isaiah 6:1-3,5 NKJV)
John echoes Isaiah’s description:
8 The four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest day or night, saying:
“Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty,
Who was and is and is to come!”.
(Revelation 4:8 NKJV)
Ezekiel also saw the heavenly throne with the angelic beings:
4 Then I looked, and behold, a whirlwind was coming out of the north, a great cloud with raging fire engulfing itself; and brightness was all around it and radiating out of its midst like the color of amber, out of the midst of the fire.
5 Also from within it came the likeness of four living creatures
10 As for the likeness of their faces, each had the face of a man; each of the four had the face of a lion on the right side, each of the four had the face of an ox on the left side, and each of the four had the face of an eagle.
15 Now as I looked at the living creatures, behold, a wheel was on the earth beside each living creature with its four faces.
22 The likeness of the firmament above the heads of the living creatures was like the color of an awesome crystal, stretched out over their heads.
26 And above the firmament over their[winged living creatures] heads was the likeness of a throne, in appearance like a sapphire stone; on the likeness of the throne w as a likeness with the appearance of a man high above it.
28 Like the appearance of a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the brightness all around it. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord[Jehovah]. So when I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard a voice of One speaking.
(Ezekiel 1:4-5,15,26,28 NKJV brackets added for clarity)
John sees the same creatures and expanse around the heavenly throne:
6 Before the throne there was a sea of glass, like crystal. And in the midst of the throne, and around the throne, were four living creatures full of eyes in front and in back.
7 The first living creature was like a lion, the second living creature like a calf, the third living creature had a face like a man, and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle.
(Revelation 4:6-7 NKJV)
Daniel sees a court of thrones with the Lord sitting on a throne with wheels, as seen in Ezekiel, to judge the antichrist and to establish His eternal kingdom:
9 “I watched till thrones were put in place,
And the Ancient of Days was seated;
His garment was white as snow,
And the hair of His head was like pure wool.
His throne was a fiery flame,
Its wheels a burning fire;
10 A fiery stream issued
And came forth from before Him.
A thousand thousands ministered to Him;
Ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him.
The court was seated,
And the books were opened. (Daniel 7:9-10 NKJV)
John also sees thrones for those who judge the antichrist and his minions:
4 Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and on the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white robes; and they had crowns of gold on their heads.
(Revelation 4:4 NKJV)
4And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.
(Revelation 20:4 NKJV)
Isaiah and Ezekiel were sent as prophets to warn Israel of God’s judgment if their wickedness of worshiping other gods continued:
19 And when they say to you, “Seek those who are mediums and wizards, who whisper and mutter,” should not a people seek their God? Should they seek the dead on behalf of the living? 20 To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.
21 They will pass through it hard-pressed and hungry; and it shall happen, when they are hungry, that they will be enraged and curse their king and their God, and look upward.
22 Then they will look to the earth, and see trouble and darkness, gloom of anguish; and they will be driven into darkness.
(Isaiah 8:19-22 NKJV)
17“Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore hear a word from My mouth, and give them warning from Me:
(Ezekiel 3:17 NKJV)
5 Then He said to me, “Son of man, lift your eyes now toward the north.” So I lifted my eyes toward the north, and there, north of the altar gate, was this image of jealousy in the entrance.
6 Furthermore He said to me, “Son of man, do you see what they are doing, the great abominations that the house of Israel commits here, to make Me go far away from My sanctuary? Now turn again, you will see greater abominations.”
(Ezekiel 8:5-6 NKJV)
But, in the book of Daniel the idol worship condemned by Isaiah and Ezekiel is personified in an individual who will be worshiped by the lost of his age.
8 I was considering the horns, and there was another horn, a little one, coming up among them, before whom three of the first horns were plucked out by the roots. And there, in this horn, were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking pompous words.
(Daniel 7:8 NKJV)
8 Therefore the male goat grew very great; but when he became strong, the large horn was broken, and in place of it four notable ones came up toward the four winds of heaven.
9 And out of one of them came a little horn which grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the Glorious Land.
10 And it grew up to the host of heaven; and it cast down some of the host and some of the stars to the ground, and trampled them.
11 He even exalted himself as high as the Prince of the host; and by him the daily sacrifices were taken away, and the place of His sanctuary was cast down.
12 Because of transgression, an army was given over to the horn to oppose the daily sacrifices; and he cast truth down to the ground. He did all this and prospered.
(Daniel 8:8-12 NKJV)
27 Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week;
But in the middle of the week
He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering.
And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate,
Even until the consummation, which is determined,
Is poured out on the desolate.”
(Daniel 9:27 NKJV)
31 And forces shall be mustered by him, and they shall defile the sanctuary fortress; then they shall take away the daily sacrifices, and place there the abomination of desolation.
36 “Then the king shall do according to his own will: he shall exalt and magnify himself above every god, shall speak blasphemies against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the wrath has been accomplished; for what has been determined shall be done.
37 He shall regard neither the God of his fathers nor the desire of women, nor regard any god; for he shall exalt himself above them all.
(Daniel 11:31,36-37 NKJV)
Revelation also describes the personification of Satan and his worship.
4 So they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?”
12 And he exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence, and causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.
(Revelation 13:4,12 NKJV)
Daniel perceived the vision of God on His throne as the heavenly court. Revelation declares the same understanding:
9 When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held.
10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?”
(Revelation 6:9-10 NKJV)
The word translated “testimony” in verse 9 is martyrian meaning to give evidence. John, Isaiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel saw the heavenly court in session to witness the testimony of the saints and the resulting judgment on the wicked.
2Then I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God. And he cried with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea, 3saying, “Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.”
(Revelation 7:2-3 NKJV)
13 Then the sixth angel sounded: And I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God,
14 saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.”
15 So the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, were released to kill a third of mankind.
(Revelation 9:13-15 NKJV)
5 And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months.
6 Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven.
7 It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation.
8 All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
(Revelation 13:5-8 NKJV)
17 Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, “It is done!”
(Revelation 16:17 NKJV)
19 And I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him who sat on the horse[Jesus] and against His army.
20 Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone.
21 And the rest were killed with the sword which proceeded from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse.
(Revelation 19:19-21 NKJV brackets added for clarity)
This shared vision of the throne makes it clear that “the things which will take place after this” refer to the future return of Jesus to establish God’s kingdom on earth.
But before all of this can begin one thing must happen.
6 And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time.
7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way.
8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming.
(2 Thessalonians 2:6-8 NKJV)
The Seals!